USPS Substation Closure / Alternative Service Plan

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) substation in the basement of the Engineering Building, which has been available for the personal postal needs of the campus community, will be closed at the end of the fall quarter. This change stems from USPS fiscal pressures and that organization's insistence that UCSC amend its contract with USPS on terms that are not feasible for the campus.

This closure will not affect the ability of Mail Services staff to pick up and deliver business letters or packages from and to UCSC units in the usual manner. It will change the way in which members of the UCSC community can mail personal letters or packages on campus.

In an effort to reduce the impact of this change on students, staff, and faculty who do send personal mail on campus, we are making plans to install an on-campus postal kiosk, most likely in the Bay Tree Bookstore. The self-service kiosk will be accessible during the bookstore's open hours, which exceed the hours of operation of the current substation.

In addition to addressing negative feedback we have received over the years about the current substation's hours, it is also our hope that the kiosk will address concerns expressed about the current substation's non-central location.

The new kiosk (see photo), which is similar in function to the self-service unit in the downtown Santa Cruz post office, will be installed as a pilot program. The campus will lease the unit, mostly likely for three years.

While the location will likely be the bookstore, we will assess the program after one year to determine if that location is the best one to meet campus needs.

While we believe this change will actually result in a more convenient service for members of the campus community, we acknowledge that change can sometimes produce unanticipated impacts. That is why we are designing this as a pilot program. It will be vital to assess the new model and adjust as we go.

The USPS substation in the basement of the Engineering Building will close at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, December 20. It is our intention to have the new kiosk operational in early January.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Robert Kemp by email at rakemp@ucsc.edu or by phone at 831-459-2354.